PIP reassessment

Artmuzz

Last year I won an appeal at tribunal to get on PIP. I was rewarded PIP until November 2020 and a couple of months ago I was sent the “ How the disability affects you” form and filled it in and sent it back 6 weeks ago. 

After I sent the form back I got a text from DWP telling me that they have received the form. However, this was 6 weeks ago and I have still not heard back from them and my PIP finished last week. I am now getting worried. 

Also, I recently recieved my last PIP payments but it’s is lower than what it usually is. Is it normal to get less money on the month PIP finishes? Please advise.

poppy123456

HI,

6 weeks really isn't that long to wait to be honest. Lots of people are waiting a few months, sometimes longer for the assessment date. Face to face assessments are suspended and telephone assessments have replaced them, which most people have.

Your reduced final payment is normal because it will only be paid up until the award ends and if that's less than a total of 4 weeks then your payment will be less. If you're successfully awarded it will be backdated to the date it stopped.

Hopefully you're not waiting much longer.

Artmuzz

Thanks for the reply.

I contacted DWP but was given the number to contact the assessment services. I was told at the assessment services that there is a back log and I might get a paper based assessment as opposed to a phone assessment but this could take from 8 to 12 weeks. 

I told the assessment services that I am panicking and they told me that I should of got an extension on my PIP because of the Covid pandemic but I never received any letters telling me my PIP will be extended. Has anyone in this forum had their PIP extended. Please advise.

Artmuzz

I contacted DWP about extension on my PIP but they told me I cannot get an extension on my PIP because my PIP award was short term (2 years).

poppy123456

Most people are having telephone assessments, paper based assessments are still very rare, so expect the telephone assessment. If you have a paper assessment then it's a bonus.

Some people are having their PIP awards extended if they were awarded by DWP. I don't know what's happening about those that were awarded by a Tribunal because usually, this award can't be changed.

Artmuzz

I received a text from DWP telling me that I’ve got a telephone consultation in a couple of weeks time for the renewal of my PIP. I am getting worried as this isn’t a good sign. 

I thought with already being on PIP and with the evidence in form of letters from my psychotherapist and support worker they would of continued me on PIP but it doesn’t seem to be the case. 

There is nothing more I can tell them that I haven’t  written on the application form. So it looks like it’s back to the stress and anxiety of appealing because ATOS usually write the opposite down to what I tell them on those stupid consultations.

poppy123456

It is not unusual for most people to have face to face assessments under normal times. As face to face assessments are still suspended telephone assessments have replaced them and most people have them, even for reviews. Paper based assessments are very rare, although they do happen. Just because it's a review it doesn't mean that your award would be automatically renewed.

They clearly don't have enough of evidence to write the report without doing the telephone assessment to get more information. Lots of people are successfully awarded with no problems at all and the telephone assessments have been alot more successful then they thought they would be, which means more people are successfully awarded.

Most medical evidence doesn't state exactly how your conditions affect you and if it doesn't state this it's not the best evidence to send. The best evidence anyone can send is your anecdotal evidence.

You can have someone with you on the day of the assessment and put the phone onto loud speaker. Assessment time can be anything from 20 to 120 minutes depending on how much information they need.

Once the assessment has been completed wait a week and ring DWP to request a copy of the assessment report. This will give you some idea what the decision is likely to be because they mostly go with the report.

Good luck.